"What are you doing? Who allowed you to walk beside me?"
In the grand lobby of the largest hotel in Blue Sea City, a beautiful woman was wearing a form-fitting dress that accentuated her stunning curves. She was casting a disdainful glance at the man walking beside her.
The man appeared somewhat embarrassed, touching his nose and taking a small step back, while a sheepish smile appeared.
Benjamin Arnold was a recently discharged soldier. Because his sister was seriously ill and needed money for treatment, he had no choice but to agree to an arranged marriage with Isabella Taylor and live with the Taylors. Due to her need for him to address some personal matters and his need for money, a marriage of convenience subsequently occurred between them.
Benjamin spoke in a low voice.
"Wife, is it okay if I walk like this?"
"Silence! Who permitted you to address me like that? Remember, you are only my husband in name, and we have no relationship whatsoever. Do you understand?!"
Although she tried to keep her voice low, people nearby could still hear her outburst. Consequently, many curious eyes were directed at the couple. This only infuriated the beautiful woman even more, making her feel like thousands of needles were piercing her chest.
Annoyed, she huffed and quickly walked ahead, leaving a dumbfounded Benjamin behind.
"Hello, beautiful lady! Can I have the honor of offering you a drink?
Feeling frustrated about Benjamin's affairs, Isabella was suddenly approached by someone who spoke to her arrogantly. In an instant, her face became highly irritated. However, upon seeing the confident smile at the beginning of the man in a vest standing across from her, Isabella's annoyance quickly faded, replaced by a charming smile.
"Of course! This glass of wine is from Director Edwyn. How could I possibly refuse?!"
As she spoke, Isabella reached out, intending to take the wine glass from Edwyn's hand. But just then, another hand grabbed the glass tightly, and another arm purposefully pushed her back a few steps.
"Don't drink! You absolutely cannot drink this wine!"
Seeing the man who appeared in front of her, Isabella's face instantly turned somber.
"What are you trying to do?"
"Please trust me; you really cannot drink this wine!"
The man who appeared at this moment of course was Benjamin, Isabella's nominal husband. His actions, however, only added fuel to the fire, further igniting Isabella's fury.
"Get lost!"
A loud shout rang out, followed by a hand swinging forward, slapping Benjamin squarely in the face.
"Slap!"
"What the hell are you? How dare you interfere in my private affairs?!"
Isabella's move surprised Benjamin, he hadn't expected her to slap him. Consequently, her slap landed directly on his slightly dark face. For a moment, Benjamin's face flushed with anger for a moment, and his gaze quickly shifted to the woman being protected behind him.
"You..."
Furiously glaring at Isabella, Benjamin's facial muscles twitched a few times. If his former teammates saw this scene, they would undoubtedly recognize his anger.
However, given his dependence on this woman, in front of the crowd, Benjamin ultimately decided to restrain himself, not wanting to retaliate. He simply showed his irritation with a hoarse voice, then turned away and walked towards the hotel's upper floor.
This action did not appease Isabella's anger. On the contrary, seeing Benjamin's annoyed demeanor only irritated her. Her voice even carried a hint of menace.
"Where do you think you're going? Stop right there!"
Nevertheless, Benjamin's footsteps did not pause for a moment. His silhouette quickly disappeared behind the elevator door, leaving behind a gloomy and frightening expression on Isabella's face.
A grinding sound emanated from between her clenched teeth in a split second. Isabella's jaws were now tightly pressed together, and a soft growl escaped from the corner of her mouth.
"You scoundrel, just wait for me. I'll make you regret going against my orders."
Of course, Benjamin couldn't hear her words. Even Edwyn, who stood across from her, only cast a skeptical glance at the disappearing figure of Benjamin behind the elevator.
"Earlier, my subordinate was a bit disrespectful. On his behalf, I'd like to offer my sincerest apologies to Director Edwyn."
After regaining her composure, Isabella slightly bowed and apologized to Edwyn. However, he didn't seem to hear her words. His gaze focused entirely on Isabella's chest's deep, alluring cleavage.
Just now, her bowing gesture was a bit hasty. Moreover, she was wearing a tight-fitting dress that clung to her body. As a result, her movement inadvertently exposed her cleavage, which she had not yet managed to cover appropriately, causing Edwyn's throat to involuntarily swallow saliva continuously.
Quickly, Isabella also noticed Edwyn's abnormal expression. Thus, she stepped back and stood up, her face revealing a hint of embarrassment, flushed red.
...
"Knock, knock!"
Resting in his hotel room, suddenly, there were a few knocks on the door from outside. Initially, Benjamin thought it was hotel staff looking for him. However, very quickly, he heard Isabella's urgent voice.
"Benjamin, where are you? Hurry up and open the door for me!"
Hearing Isabella's voice, Benjamin's eyebrows slightly furrowed. But his movement was not slow, and he quickly opened the door.
At this moment, Isabella's appearance seemed highly distressed. Although her clothes were still neat, her face turned beet red, and her eyes somewhat panicked. Moreover, her body was covered in a thick layer of sweat.
She had just run quite a distance. She wasn't even wearing her high heels but held them in her hands, anxiously waiting at the hotel room door.
"You…"
Before Benjamin could speak, Isabella's figure quickly darted inside as soon as the door opened. Simultaneously, her commanding voice rang out again.
"Later, if anyone comes looking for me, you must say I'm not in the room. Understood?"
Without giving Benjamin a chance to respond, she entered the bathroom and locked the door. Then, Benjamin heard the sound of running water. He had no idea what Isabella was doing inside.
However, before Benjamin could think further, footsteps sounded outside the hallway. Immediately after, he heard a very familiar voice.
"Isabella, which room are you in? Don't run away; we haven't finished discussing work yet!"
Benjamin quickly deduced that something had happened from Isabella's previous expression and Edwyn's sudden appearance. But he didn't care. After all, his relationship with Isabella was just a mutually beneficial partnership.
Seeing Edwyn approaching, Benjamin didn't want to face him and promptly shut the door.
But Benjamin's action only drew Edwyn's attention. As a result, Edwyn's footsteps became even faster. Then, the knocking on the door resumed.
"Isabella, I know you're inside. What just happened was just a misunderstanding. We haven't finished discussing work yet, can you come out and let me in?"
Hearing the yelling outside, even though she had locked herself in the bathroom, Isabella couldn't help but stick her head out, looking at the door worriedly, thinking: 'He found me. What should I do now? What should I do now?'
Although Isabella didn't directly speak to Benjamin, seeing her expression, he couldn't help but inquire.
"What on earth happened between the two of you? Why did you run to my room?"
As Benjamin's voice rose, Isabella's eyes instantly lit up.
"Right, you need to quickly think of a way to drive the person outside away. Just as long as you can drive him away. I can let go of what just happened downstairs!"
Upon hearing her words, Benjamin's eyebrows couldn't help but furrow. However, her following terms left him with no way to resist.
"So, you don't want to help me?"
Seeing her demeanor, Benjamin could affirm that he would face significant trouble if he dared to refuse. Therefore, despite his extreme discomfort, he could only put on a smile in response.
"Of course, I will help you. But you must listen to me, and you're not allowed to scold me or resist. Do you agree?"
Initially, Isabella thought Benjamin would take this opportunity to impose some conditions on her. However, after hearing his request, she didn't hesitate and nodded in agreement.
"Fine, I agree with you!"
Then, from within the hotel bedroom, heavy breathing and the moans of a woman could be heard. Outside, even though the hotel room was well soundproofed, the noises within quickly reached Edwyn's ears as he leaned against the door.
In a flash, Edwyn's expression became hard to read. He then became angry, swearing a few times before finally leaving in frustration due to impatience.
At that moment, in the bedroom, after hearing Edwyn's departing footsteps, both Benjamin and Isabella exchanged glances.
"Is he gone?"
"Yeah, he's gone."
Fearing that Edwyn would discover the noise inside the room, they whispered to each other with very low voices. Furthermore, their bodies were pressed tightly together, their breaths mingling.
"Can you... move a bit?"
"Why?"
After confirming that Edwyn had indeed left, Benjamin softly asked. However, his words momentarily made Isabella suspicious. Soon, her face flushed red, and she angrily scolded him.
"A, you pervert!"
During the act, Isabella mistakenly grabbed Benjamin's 'that thing', causing it to react and stand up. After hearing Benjamin's reminder, she naturally jumped back.
However, since they were lying on the same bed, and she didn't let go when moving back, their bodies ended up pressed against each other again.
"You..."
Isabella croaked, but her current expression made Benjamin feel even more excited, unable to control himself.
"Weren't you just calling me a pervert? Today, I'll show you something even more perverted!"
As he spoke, Benjamin lunged forward, and his lips pressed tightly against Isabella's rosy ones.
"Don't... mm... I don't want to..."
***
Bam! "What are you trying to do?" Just waking up from a dream, Benjamin was suddenly kicked off the bed. His face instantly turned sour as he squinted at the angry Isabella lying on the bed. "What do I want to do? I want to stomp you to death!" "Wait, hold on!" Seeing Isabella's furious appearance, Benjamin finally awoke from his dream. He quickly got up, looked at Isabella, and raised his hands above his head."This wasn't my fault, either. It was you who provoked me last night. Then, I couldn't hold back anymore. So...""Shut up, and I won't let you speak!"Before Benjamin could finish speaking, Isabella's piercing scream interrupted him. Caught off guard, Benjamin had no choice but to close his mouth obediently.Immediately afterward, a torn dress was thrown from the bed to the floor. As she glared at him, Isabella's expression grew colder and more challenging."I want you to buy me a new dress like this!"As Benjamin looked at the torn dress thrown before him, he intended to
After finishing the bread, Benjamin's empty stomach felt somewhat complete. But now, he didn't know where to go. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice calling out."Hey, we meet again!"Recognizing the familiar voice, Benjamin couldn't help but turn his head. As he did, he saw Isabella and Edwyn eating in a nearby restaurant. For a moment, Benjamin's face was filled with astonishment. However, that was quickly replaced by disdain.It was apparent that Isabella was well aware of Edwyn's ill intentions towards her, yet she not only refrained from avoiding him but also chose to dine alone with him. Benjamin couldn't help but feel disdain and contempt for her."Isabella, what do you think of my proposal?" Edwyn asked."Director Edwyn, I'd like to finalize this contract before we go to the hotel. If you agree, I'll reconsider your offer afterward."Not far from Benjamin, Edwyn paid him no attention and began conversing with Isabella. Although their voices weren't loud, Benjamin could still h
Benjamin swung his leg and kicked down forcefully. Although the kick wasn't too strong, Edwyn was so much pain. His eyes bulged, and his face contorted beyond imagination. It seemed as if he had just heard the sound of an egg cracked."You bastard... I'll kill you!"Clutching his crotch, Edwyn's mouth sounded like a pig being poked. Tears involuntarily streamed down his face like a waterfall."Let's go, and we're leaving!" Benjamin said.Seeing Edwyn's pitiful state, a satisfied smile finally appeared on Benjamin's face. However, just as he was about to leave with Isabella, Edwyn's voice suddenly rang out."You wait. I'll make sure you end up in jail!""Who are you trying to scare? You would have humiliated my friend if I hadn't shown up. If you dare to accuse me of assault, I'll report your attempted rape to the police!"Hearing Edwyn's threat, Benjamin stopped, his gaze electric, staring straight at him.But at this moment, Edwyn didn't show any worry or fear. Instead, a hideous smi
Afterward, both of them left without speaking to each other, walking home on their own. As they reached the front door, Isabella paused momentarily before looking at Benjamin with a somewhat disgusted expression."You go in first; I don't want to walk with a good-for-nothing like you."This time, Benjamin didn't react to her, he just glanced at the house's main gate. Then, he grabbed the keys to the car and threw them back to Isabella."I don't want to go in. If you want to enter, do it yourself!"With that, Benjamin decisively turned away and left. However, at that moment, Isabella suddenly blocked his path, standing before him, and said."My father is returning home today; you can't just leave."Benjamin's eyebrows furrowed slightly after hearing the mention of his father-in-law, whom he had only met once at their wedding. Seeing his expression, Isabella added: "After today, you can go wherever you want, and I won't care. But you're not allowed to leave this house before my father l
Leaving the bedroom, Benjamin quickly descended the stairs and poured himself a glass of water. Meanwhile, Isabella was browsing her phone and checking the news in the living room. She hurried towards him as soon as she saw him, limping slightly."By the way, my father is coming home for dinner tonight. So, we need to act affectionately towards each other and not give him any reason to suspect anything. You understand, right?"With a warning gaze, Isabella's demeanor seemed odd.Indeed, Benjamin found this whole situation bizarre. Usually, his wife never shows kindness to him. Even in front of his mother-in-law and sister-in-law, she still acts cold and contemptuous toward him. However, whenever her father was mentioned, whom he had only met once at their wedding, Isabella's attitude changed drastically.Though he felt suspicious, Benjamin did not want to cause conflict with Isabella at this moment, so he calmly nodded in agreement.At seven o'clock that evening, the doorbell rang. A
Looking at the eight full glasses of wine, Benjamin's expression remained unchanged. He was resolute, walking over and pouring the entire glass of wine on the table into his mouth.Seeing this, everyone in the room was filled with fear. Especially Olivia, who never expected Benjamin to do such a thing for her. After all, even someone with a high alcohol tolerance could only handle a few glasses of this type of wine at most. Moreover, this was the first time anyone else had ever downed eight drinks in one go as he did."Good, the wine has been finished. Can we leave now?"Although the eight glasses of wine weren't a big problem for Benjamin, drinking that much at once left him feeling dizzy. At this moment, Olivia felt incredibly guilty. Meanwhile, seeing her wrist still held tightly by Benjamin, her face flushed with embarrassment."Corbin, we'd like to take our leave now."Olivia's body leaned slightly forward. She then took Benjamin's hand and quickly led him out of the room."Wait!
“No, I genuinely had no idea that it was your restaurant. If I had known, I wouldn’t have gotten into a fight there. Besides, he was bullying people too much, and I just wanted to stand up for justice!”After a moment of shock, Benjamin finally began to explain himself. However, Isabella seemed as if she didn’t hear him at all. She stared at him with a highly disdainful look.“Do you... do you think I’m that despicable? That I would damage your restaurant’s reputation to get revenge on you?”Feeling frustrated and unable to explain, Benjamin angrily stormed out of the car. But at that moment, Isabella suddenly spoke up.“Where are you going?”“If you don’t believe me, why do you want me to drive you home?”As he spoke, Benjamin opened the door to get out.“Suit yourself, but if you dare leave, I’ll go to the hospital to visit your sister.”This time, Benjamin’s movement faltered.“What do you plan to do?”“I won’t do anything. I’ll tell your sister and father about the fight and how y
Upon seeing Benjamin walk into the hotel with his letter of introduction, the hotel manager couldn't help but cast a sidelong glance at him. Afterward, the manager flashed a smile and spoke."A new employee, huh? The hotel only has a little work at the moment. You can help me clean, and once there's more work, I'll hand it over to you later."As he spoke, the manager discreetly handed Benjamin a broom. Benjamin was no stranger to such situations, as the old ones often hazed new employees.However, Benjamin was not like the others. He didn't accept the broom offered by the manager but calmly shook his head and responded."Sorry, I'm here to work as a driver, not to do janitorial work for the hotel."Hearing this, the manager's eyes widened in surprise. It was the first time he had encountered such an assertive new employee. Just as he was about to lose his temper and teach Benjamin a lesson, he was interrupted by a call from a subordinate, saying that there was an issue that required h
Benjamin, unbeknownst to him, was oblivious to the demonic prince's frenzy over the armor. He held in his hand a command token, under which lay a somewhat tragic corpse. However, a familiar energy emanated from the token, causing his brows to furrow deeply, for a voice resounded urgently within his mind."Chirp chirp!"Deep in thought, Benjamin was roused by Alan's voice. The creature, now the size of a sparrow, perched gracefully upon his shoulder.Recognizing the intention behind the creature's head rubbing against him, a tender smile graced Benjamin's lips: "You did wonderfully." he praised."Chirp chirp!"In response, Alan regurgitated an ancient ring which landed deftly in Benjamin's palm. As it touched his skin, the ring transformed into a golden glow, wrapping around his finger. It was the space ring Benjamin had discovered in the Dragon Palace. Although the spirit inside was dormant, its basic functions remained accessible.Earlier, Benjamin had entrusted this ring to Alan to
Instantly, his face became grave. Only now did he discern the fading form of Alan, with even the flames upon it having waned by more than half. Yet, what was most alarming was the emanating ominous aura from the Demon God's heart, causing Benjamin to jolt and hurriedly shout,"Elder!""Hm?!"Hearing Benjamin's call, an ethereal figure suddenly appeared outside the central region of the altar. Its gaze locked onto the sealed space above the altar."Ha ha ha, foolish humans, my true form is almost here. Once it arrives, I'll reduce the both of you to mere ashes!"Sensing the familiar aura steadily nearing the altar, the Demon God's heart laughed triumphantly.However, a languid voice suddenly intervened,"Quiet!"Following which, an overpowering force, emanating from Benjamin, suddenly descended, shattering the very core of the heart."AHH!"A scream echoed from within. Simultaneously, an ethereal figure, eyes filled with disbelief, turned towards the altar."What is this force?!"Feeli
Boom!Boom!Several blows in succession, and Benjamin had lost track of time. But at this moment, cracks began to appear on the wall before him. They spread and widened until finally, with a full-force punch, the wall collapsed. A vast space revealed itself, stretching out before his eyes.Here, Benjamin beheld a huge sacrificial altar, filling almost the entire space. Above the altar hung a heart. Though he could not ascertain from what creature it was taken, its appearance allowed him to sense an incredibly evil energy, pervading the entire space.Moreover, this evil energy made his mind reel slightly. Were it not for his strong will, Benjamin feared he would have been bewitched by the heart.Instantly, his face marked with caution, he retreated a few steps."This is truly bizarre? How could such an altar appear here?"But just then, stepping back some twenty meters, a sound of great astonishment suddenly came from behind him.Startled, Benjamin quickly turned to see the people who
A few minutes later, a middle-aged man with blonde hair and glasses, holding a laptop, arrived looking somewhat harried and sleep-deprived. He looked toward Red, placed his hand over his chest, and rapidly spoke.“Prince Red, why have you summoned me here? My research is on the brink of completion, needing only one final step. If there's nothing urgent, I would like to return and continue with my work.”After speaking, the middle-aged man seemed incredibly impatient, ready to turn and leave.Seeing this, Red felt slightly annoyed but did not show anger. Instead, his face bore a placating expression, and he hastily replied.“Mr. Steven, I genuinely have a very important matter that requires your assistance. Agat and Orange are in trouble in New Braum, and I want you to go there and bring them back. What do you think?”Red's attitude was extremely humble, a stark contrast to his earlier arrogance and pride.However, Steven seemed not to care, his eyes sweeping the control room in a glan
However, Steven seemed uninterested, his eyes sweeping the control room before he spoke, a little annoyed.“Your Highness Red, such a trivial matter, and you call me here? If you feel overly bored, I can help you with some training time. Within the next twenty-four hours, I assure you that the time spent will not be wasted at all!”Hearing this, Red's eyes showed a hint of fear.Although the man was just a human, his strength was not particularly great. However, Steven's status in the kingdom was very special. He was a scholar, and his creativity was terrifying.Hundreds of years ago, when the kingdom of Autuman was just a small tribe on the planet Namec, their king, then a young man, luckily rescued a human, and this human was the middle-aged man before him, Steven.Harnessing the terrifying breadth of Steven's intellect, in less than a decade, Autuman evolved from a minor tribe, nestled in the wilderness of planet Namec, into a mighty empire. They conquered the entirety of Namec, an
Boom!Boom!Boom!Blood painted the sky, and countless pieces of metal debris littered the ground.A smirk formed on Benjamin's lips. He hadn't expected that after such a long slumber, its power had grown so immense.However, the sight of the scattered armor shards pained him.Such high-quality armor pieces, capable of enhancing a warrior's strength and providing incredible defense, were now in ruins. For someone of Benjamin's caliber, these armors might not pose much challenge, but if equipped by his soldiers, they would have been invaluable assets, exponentially amplifying their combat prowess.Although he felt a twinge of regret, Benjamin didn't blame Alan. Instead, he commended him."Alan, you did splendidly!""Chirp, chirp!"As Benjamin's praise graced his ears, a rush of exhilaration surged through Alan. In mere moments, his form swiftly contracted, taking on the delicate guise of a sparrow, which alighted on Benjamin's shoulder, its chirps melodious and relentless.Witnessing s
"Ha ha ha, I was merely jesting with you." he laughed with ease, his eyes dancing mischievously: "No need to take it so seriously. Anyway, feel free to examine it. It's now mine, and even if you wish, you cannot claim it."With a boisterous laugh, Benjamin, brimming with amusement, effortlessly tossed a ring towards her.Catching a glimpse of his action, a pang of surprise coursed through Fidelma. Still, she reached out, catching the item.Holding the ornate ring in her hand, she felt a strange force emanating from within. The intricate designs adorning it suggested an ancient aura. Fidelma could confidently deduce that this was a space treasure. Its grade was undoubtedly high, surpassing any artifact she had previously encountered in the annals or in the treasury of the Moonlight Religious Sect."Done examining?" His voice hinted at impatience: "If so, kindly return it."Watching Fidelma cradle the ring, almost reluctant to release it, a twitch of amusement played on Benjamin's lips.
Now, even though its headpiece had been severed, it was still far more complete than the other armors.Without hesitation, he approached, with a mere thought, his storage ring's light flared. The entire armor, along with the leader's corpse, was drawn into it.He then surveyed the surroundings once more, detecting no anomalies. Benjamin then proceeded towards Dermot's wooden house atop the hill."Boss, you're not hurt, are you?" asked Azaria, eyeing Benjamin's bloodstained appearance with a hint of concern.Benjamin glanced at him and shook his head."I'm fine; go rest. Tonight, there may be more to do. I'll handle it myself." he said, continuing straight to Dermot's bedroom.Upon seeing Benjamin's bloodied state, Irina suddenly rushed over, her face filled with alarm. She hastily grabbed his hand, her expression fraught with concern."You...you're alright?" she stammered.Seeing her worry, Benjamin merely shook his head without verbally responding. Meanwhile, Dermot emerged from the
Although puzzled, Benjamin refrained from questioning her outright. Instead, his gaze swept the room. Aside from scattered clothing and discarded food on the floor, nothing seemed amiss. It was logical. After all, someone fleeing in a hurry wouldn't leave traces behind."Where did the woman who was in your room go?" he inquired, his sudden question startling Irina, making her let out a soft gasp.At her reaction, Benjamin's eyebrows furrowed, his gaze growing wary: "What did you ask?" she stammered, fear evident in her voice.Reiterating his query but with more firmness, he watched as Irina visibly shrank back, finally murmuring: "She...she said she had something to do and left. Can...can you not look at me like that? I'm truly scared."Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke, every word dripping with fear. Benjamin felt a pang of confusion but, before he could react, she threw herself at him, gripping him tightly: "Please don't go. I'm truly terrified. This place... I can't bear to